Cosmetic Surgery and Beauty Magazine #66

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the impact such dietary decisions are having on our skin. For example, skin cell
membranes, which are comprised of fatty molecules, or lipids, are responsible
for protecting the cell, absorbing nutrients and eliminating wastes. The integrity
of this lipid membrane is dependant on the availability of essential fatty
acids, which the body cannot produce independently. Because of this, those
following extremely low fat diets will often exhibit compromised skin barriers,
due to a lack of essential fatty acids and a weakening of cell membranes.
Alternatively, a diet high in Omega 3 and 6 will work to refine and strengthen
epidermal skin cells, enhancing the skin’s protective barrier and increasing
water and nutrient retention.
Omegas aside, not all fats benefit the skin. An excess of unhealthy fats will
induce a heightened sebum production and disrupt the skin’s acid mantel – or
the water/oil barrier across the skin’s surface. Similarly, highly acidic diets will
cause your body to excrete excess acid via the epidermis, sometimes triggering
conditions such as psoriasis, eczema or adult acne.
Finally, bad news for those with a sweet tooth; excess blood sugar molecules
bombard the collagen and elastin fibres in the skin, causing the proteins to
become hard and brittle. Too much sweet indulgence will deteriorate the skin’s
elasticity and resilience, resulting in a ‘criss-crossed’ wrinkle formation around
the chin and eye area – a condition known as glycation. Anti-glycation agents
can be found in certain cosmetics, while balancing your diet with nutrient-rich
vegetables and red meat will soften the glucose effect.
6 ways to get younger looking skin
Modern skincare products are formulated with potent
active ingredients to work magic on your complexion. While
selecting the products to include in your beauty arsenal,
there are many important ingredients to look for.
The following are the critical and most vital ingredients to
any anti-ageing product.
Sunscreens
Sunscreens are an integral part of any anti-ageing regime.
They are, first and foremost, products to help prevent
extrinsic ageing of the skin. Ensure any sunscreen has
physical and chemical blockers plus antioxidants. While not
perfect, these sun care products are the best we have at
the moment.
Antioxidants can break the chain reactions triggered by
the production of free radicals. The good news is that they
are freely available because most beneficial antioxidants
occur in foods we eat. These include Vitamins A, C and E,
carotenoids such as betacarotene, some minerals, phenolic
compounds and other naturally occurring chemicals with
antioxidant properties.
Antioxidants help prevent tissue damage that could
potentially lead to ageing and disease. They are important
in photo-damage repair and protection.
Antioxidants are increasingly being included in skincare
products, but there are a number of factors that influence
their effectiveness in topical form. These include the
chemical makeup of the antioxidant, what it is combined
with and how it is delivered in the product formulation.
Antioxidants
Antioxidants are nature’s magic bullets, protecting our
bodies against the chemical reaction responsible for the
free radicals that are one of the key mechanisms in ageing.
Free radicals are by-products of normal cell activity but they
also occur as a result of exposure to pollutants and sunlight.
They are extremely destructive, damaging cell structures
and contributing to degenerative illnesses such as heart
and liver disease and cancer.
Vitamin A
Most skin health professionals will agree that Vitamin A is
the single-most important ingredient to prevent, restore,
normalise and help repair damaged skin. Since our body
does not make Vitamin A, our skin becomes deficient
over time. For that reason, Vitamin A is a very important
and necessary ingredient in all quality anti-ageing product
lines. However, in its acid form it may cause redness and
irritation. It can also cause a thinning of the skin, which is
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